Local News

Monday
Sunny, with a high near 58. North wind 5-10 mph, becoming southwest 10-15 mph in the afternoon. Mostly clear at night, with a low around 29. Southwest wind 5-15 mph, becoming north after midnight.

Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 58. North wind 5-10 mph, becoming south in the afternoon. Mostly clear at night, with a low around 33.

Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 62. Clear at night, with a low around 38.

With the fate of two Luna Community College Board of Trustees races hanging in the balance, Thursday’s canvassing meeting took on a tense mood as County Clerk Melanie Rivera explained the process and rebutted claims of irregularities and alleged bias.

And in the end, the two races up in the air — the District 7 race, which was tied and the District 3 race, which had the top two candidates separated by a single vote — were decided.

As state basketball tournaments begin this weekend, all eyes will be on the players who have the honor of duking it out for a trophy and the bragging rights that come with it. But it’s also a big deal for the officials calling the games, including the Vigil brothers, who got their start in Las Vegas.

Carl Vigil Jr. has been selected to officiate next week’s state basketball championship tournament in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho. His younger brother, Curtis, will be calling basketball games this weekend as well. Curtis has also officiated college level games.

Las Vegas police have charged a local man with two fourth-degree felonies for allegedly buying liquor for a Robertson High School student last week.

Police secured an arrest warrant for 32-year-old Michael Blanchard, whose address is listed as HCR 81 Box 350A in Las Vegas. Blanchard is facing charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and selling or giving alcoholic beverages to a minor.

Online court and jail records indicate that Blanchard had not yet been arrested as of Thursday morning.

If you’ve ever had a desire to be on the big or small screen, this could be your opportunity.

The Longmire television series and a feature film titled The Homesman, directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones, will be looking for extras at an open background casting call from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday at Best Western Plus Montezuma Inn & Suites, 2020 Grand Ave.

The Longmire series filmed in an around Las Vegas last year, and filming is beginning for it’s second season.

By Barry Massey
The Associated Press
SANTA FE — Current and future public employee retirees would see smaller cost-of-living adjustments under a proposal before New Mexico lawmakers to rebuild the long-term finances of a pension plan for more than 55,000 state and municipal workers.
The Senate was expected to debate the proposal Thursday to resolve one of the largest financial problems confronting the state.

By Barry Massey
The Associated Press
SANTA FE — Allies of Republican Gov. Susana Martinez narrowly failed Wednesday in trying to revive legislation to stop New Mexico from issuing driver’s licenses to most illegal immigrants.
A Martinez-backed license proposal has been bottled up in a House committee by majority Democrats, most likely dooming the bill as time runs out in the legislative session. Lawmakers will adjourn in 10 days and similar license legislation has stalled in the Senate.

After a year of working as an associate dentist at Collins Dental, Christopher Yoon has purchased Dr. Frank Sanchez’s dental practice, Sanchez Dental/Highland Family Dental Office.

“I considered several places to open my practice but decided that Las Vegas was the place I wanted to be,” said Yoon, a Korean American. “In the last year three dentists have closed their businesses in Las Vegas and either retired or left the community. I think the people of this area are in need of a dentist, and I hope to fill the void.”